Steering means for velocipedes or the like.



W. G. JAHNKE.

STEERING MEANS FOR VELOClPEDES OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FYILED JUNE [9.I915.

1,162,364. I Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

.ua W

' frame 4 is made light will bend under the weight of a child. A'

specification.

WILLIAM STEERING MEANSFOR VELOCIPEDES Application filed June 19, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that 1, WILLIAM a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county vof Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in SteeringMeansfor elocipedes or the like, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exactdescription, ref

32111 'in drawin s formin a 3311301: this D c 7 D My invent-ion relatesto childrens automobiles, more particularly to the steering mechanism. V

In my Patent No. 1,lt6,880 issued July 20, have shown and described achilds automobile, the frame of which is mounted upon two front wheelsand two rear wheels. The vehicle is propelled by a stantially .midwaybetween the front and the rear axles.

The object of the present invention is to axis of the traction wheelapproximately parallel wth the axis of the front wheel, tendency for thethereby eliminating any driving wheel to be dragged sidewise over theground. The manner in which this is accomplished will be understood fromthe following specification, taken in COIIIIQCUOIL with the drawings,inwhich,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a childs automobile embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 isan enlarged side elevational view of a part ofthe'steering mechanism; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig.2 taken along the line 3-3, and Fig. 4- is sectional view taken alongthe line H of The childs automobile shown in the above figures isprovided with front wheels 1- 1 and rear wheels 22, connected by meansofthe three-point suspension frame 4:. The and flexible so that it seat 5,which may be of any convenient size or material, is mounted on the rearpart of the frame at a convenient distance from the driving wheel 6. Aplate or bracket 7 is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the framea which Specification'of Letters Eatent.

mounted. G. J AI-INKE,

ferencebeing had-to the accom the driver causes main in constant contactwith the ground driving wheel suitably secured to the frame at a pointsub- 1 V a part a crossthe fork 8 is pivotally' G. JAHNKE, or cnroaeo,ILLINOIS.

or. rnn LIKE.

Patented Nov. aaieia.

Serial No. 34,987.

The driving wheel 6 is mounted so that it will be free to rotate in thecrotch of the fork 8 and is provided with a crank '9 and the pedals 1010, to be operated by the driver.

When the vehicle is unoccupiedthe fiexr bility of the frame l causes thedriving wheel 6 to be either raised away from the ground orf'in contactwith the ground to such a slight extent that it is capable of butlittle, if any, tractive effort. When the driver takes his place in theseat of the car, hisweight bends the frame and causes the driving wheelto be brought down into firnr engagement with the road.

the driving wheel to re and to conform with any which may be in theroad.

The rear wheels 2--2 are mounted on an axle 11, which is fastened to thedepending legs 12--12 of the frame 4-. The rear wheels are preferablyfree to rotate on the shaft in order to decrease the friction and toallow difierential movement when the vehicleis turning. The front wheels11 have bearirregularities ings on the front axle 13, which is mountedon the frame at by means of a loop 1 forming an extension of the framet. A post 15 is attached to the axle 13 and forms thereof. This post ismounted vertically inthe loop it, being secured thereto by suitablebelts or the like, and carries a beveled gear 16 for engagement with acorrespondingbeveled gear 17 mounted on the steering column 18. Thesteering column has itsbearings ina bracket 19' securedto the top of theframe t and in a depending bracket- '20 secured on the bottom of theframe 4.

A suitable steering wheel 21is securedto the steering column 18 insuitable proximity ber tires, but'the same is not absolutely necesssary.I that a much better tractive The weight of .is rigidly mounted on thederstood that a number effort is securedby the use of a resilient tireon the traction Wheel.

The mechanism for steering the driving Wheel 6 in connection withthefront Wheels 1-1 will now be described. A rod or bar 22 post 15parallel A similar rod or bar 23 with the axle 13.

is rigidly mounted on the fork 8 parallel With the axis of the drivingWheel 6. I have shown the bars 22 and 23 held in place on the post 15and fork 8, respectively, by means of keys 2525. Any other suitablemeans may be employed. The lower end of the post 15 is rigidly fastenedto the gear 16 and axle l3,'so that all of these parts-turn together.secured to the frame 4- and is provided with an opening through whichthe upper end of the post 15 projects, the opening being slightly largerthan the post 15, so that the latter may be turned freely.

Referringto Fig. at it Will be seen that a plate 97 is riveted to theunder side of the frame i. The plate 27 and the housing '4' are providedwith central openings through which the upper end of the fork 8 passes.These openings are slightly larger than the fork 8, in order that thelatter may be freely turned.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the ends of the bars and are securedtogether by means of connecting rods 2 l2 4, which are made the samelength, so that the axis of the axle 13 Will be substantially parallelto the axis of the driving Wheel The connecting rods 24-24L are looselysecured to the bar 22 and by means of bolts, rivets or the like, inorder that there Will be no binding action.

It Will now be clear that the driving Wheel 6 and the two front Wheelsalways rotate in a definite fixed relation,

is also turned to the same extent.

for the driving Wheel to be dragged sideivise over the ground Whileturning is entirely overcome.

\Vhile I have illustrated one particular embodiment of my. invention, itis to be unof modifications Will be apparent to those skilled in theart, all of which I consider to come Within the. spirit and scope of myinvention.

olate 26 is riveted or otherwise and that when the two. front wheels areturned the driving Wheel 6 lVith the. above-described arrangement anytendency What I claim as neW and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of rear Wheels, a pair offront Wheels, :1 frame joining said front and rear Wheels, a tractionWheel intermediate said front and said rear Wheels and steering meansfor steering said front Wheels and said traction Wheel.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of rear Wheels, a pair offront Wheels, a frame joining said front and rear Wheels, a traction\vheel intermediate said front and said rear Wheels and means formaintaining the axis of said traction Wheel approxi mately parallel Withthe axis of said front Wheels.

' 3. In combination a pair of front wheels, a' pair of rear Wheels, aflexible frame joining-said front and rear Wheels, a traction- Wheelintermediate said front and said rear Wheels a steering column forsteering said front Wheels and means for maintaining the axis of saidtraction Wheel approxin'lately parallel with the axis of said frontWheels.

, 4. In a vehicle of the class described, a' rear axle, a pair of Wheelsmounted on said axle, a front axle, a pair of Wheels mounted on saidfront axle, a frame joining said front and rear axles, a traction Wheelintermediate said front and said rear Wheels, a post secured to saidfront axle, a steering column for turning said front axle and said postand means secured to said post for steering said traction Wheel.

5. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of rear Wheels, a pair offront Wheels, a frame joinin said front and rear Wheels, a forkpivotally mounted on said frame intermediate said front and said rearWheels, a traction wheel mounted in the crotch of said fork, andsteering means for steering said front Wheels and said traction \vheel.

6. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of front Wheels, a pairof rear Wheels, a. frame joining said front and said rear" Wheels, atraction Wheel intermediate said front and said rear Wheels, and commonmeans, for steering said front Wheels and said traction Wheel.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of June,A. D. 1915.

IVILLIAM G. JAHNKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patent:, Washington, D. 0. I

